BMW Free Driveshaft Replacement GS GSA R RS RT INFO337390 - ALL R1200 / R1250 K50, K51, K52,K53, K54
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- BMW R 1200 and R 1250 - GS / GSA / R / RS / RT
FREE Drive Shaft Replacement Programme.
Drive Shaft Replacement Mileage: 60,000 km (approximately 37,500 miles)
Is it TRUE ?, YES, it is…
BMW announced this change to our maintenance plan in October 2023 (see full official text at the bottom), but many owners are still confused. So, I have been talking to BMW Motorrad in Munich over the last 3 days, and with their help, you can now understand exactly what this announcement means and how it applies to you and your Motorbike (GS, GSA, R, RT & RS)
Motorbikes / Models:
R 1200 / 1250 GS - K50
R 1200 / 1250 GS Adventure - K51
R 1200 / 1250 RT - K52
R 1200 / 1250 R - K53
R 1200 / 1250 RS - K54
If you have any questions, just leave me a comment and I will reply…
Hopefully you enjoy the content I create, so by Subscribing you are letting me know, that you appreciate the effort and time I invest in creating these episodes, and it also helps to grow and develop the channel.
Best Wishes, Carl
00:00 Start
00:40 Which Models ?
02:22 When ?
03:25 Who will receive it ?
04:23 Owner Examples
05:21 Service History Missing ?
06:25 R 1300 GS
09:11 Why ?
11:32 Official Announcement
12:00 Thank You
BMW Motorrad has decided to make a change to the maintenance plan for the R 1200 / R 1250 models in order to improve customer satisfaction. Through ongoing field observations, it has been found that occasional damage can occur to the cardan shaft of these models, which can compromise the functionality of the drive system. In some cases, this can result in a loss of propulsion.
These issues are more prevalent in the R 1200 GS / R 1250 GS models and in the authorities vehicles of the series, compared to the standard road models. In view of this, a service campaign has already been planned for these models in 2022. As part of this campaign, the cardan shaft will be replaced at 60,000 km. And at lower mileages a specially developed testing method will be used to check for any pre-existing damage to the universal joints.
Cardan shaft damage is extremely rare in the road-oriented models of the R 1200 / 1250 family. The more moderate chassis geometry (with smaller angles of the cardan shaft in the swinging arm) and the absence of offroad use contribute to significantly lower stress levels on the component.
However, BMW Motorrad has decided to adjust the maintenance plan for all models in order to ensure customer satisfaction, longevity, and as a preventive quality measure.
The mileage-related replacement of the cardan shaft is provided free of charge to customers throughout the lifetime of the vehicle, even if the replacement threshold is reached multiple times and regardless of the age of the vehicle.
Affected customers with vehicles up to model year 2023 will receive an insert for the owner's manual either during their next workshop visit or will be sent it directly with an information letter, depending on the country.
From model year 2024 onwards, the maintenance plan will already be included in the owner's manual, and affected customers will no longer be separately notified.
The replacement of the cardan shaft has also been taken into account in the maintenance plan for the successor model R 1300 GS. In contrast to the R 1250 GS, where the cardan shaft is replaced at 60,000 km, the cardan shaft of the R 1300 GS is replaced at 80,000 km. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
EXTRA IMPORTANT INFO: In the UK and USA that is 37,500 miles - For the rest of the World that's 60,000 kilometres - for the life of the motorbike. So you will continue to receive a replacement drive shaft at 60K km / 37,500 miles for the life of the motorbike. This is important news.
If you have any concerns about your drive shaft, your local BMW dealership can perform a workshop test using special testing equipment. This test is not automatically performed unless you request it AND have concerns about wear / vibration. Talk to your dealership, they are there to help you.
Also the driveshaft service and re-grease is sometimes offered to customers free of charge but sometimes you have to pay for it. I think !!! it is dependant on the country in which you live and the model of motorbike you own, so again I suggest you talk to your local dealership.
When I have additional "Confirmed / official" news I will add it here and in the video description
Regards Carl
Good stuff Carl, love the channel.
So at every full 60k km for the rest of the bike's life? (I'm close to completing my second 60k, all of that on the new shaft on my 2020 1250gs!)
@PeterBaumgart1a : yes every 60,000 km for the life of the bike 👍
I had mine replaced 6 months ago for free (39k miles).
@commoncents5191 great news , thank you for sharing
Carl
All hail Carl for the work he put in. Champion 🙌
but the motivation came from your comment.....Cheers Craig
Woof
I recently bought a 2014 r1200rt from an independent dealer. It was in good condition with 44,000 miles on it with part service history. I took it to my local bmw dealer to see if it had any recalls outstanding they said it needed improved circlips on the footrests, and the drive shaft + shaft housing needed inspection. They changed the circlips and fitted the drain valve to the driveshaft housing, + they fitted a new driveshaft. I think that is great service they also gave it a complete health check which it passed with no issues at no cost to me I also got a ride r1300gs a great bike but I don't have that sort of free cash at the moment also lots of coffee and cookies whats not to like.😊
Nice experience you have shared
👍🙋🏻♂️
Just stumbled across this post....thank you so much for taking the time and effort to post this your a proper gent and im sure the bmw community thanks you ( 1200rt owner)
Hi Kevin, thank you for your message, much appreciated.
Kind regards Carl
Don’t know that I’ve ever heard of any vehicle manufacturer preemptively addressing such a huge issue. As a new R 1250 GS owner I’m preemptively relieved BMW has straight forwardly set forth a plan of action. Many thanks to this wonderful Chanel for the wealth of information provided.
Thank you Bradley, and I agree BMW have made a smart move...covering ALL 5 models.
A little Staburag's goes a long way.........wonder why this never occurred to the boys and girls in Bavaria?
A little Lubrication goes a long way... smile
@justthewayitis As nice as it is, that BMW are changing shafts for free, I expect there is a very good legal reason behind this change of course. Those shafts are £700-£800 to buy (obviously a lot less for BMW) plus labour charge to change it. With many, many thousands of bikes involved, this must be costing the a huge amount of money. They have obviously done the usual Cost/Benefit calculation and decided this is the cheapest or safest option.
I'm sure there are corporate reasons behind this, but it is good news for many thousands of owners. Carl
Best warranty in business BMW has !!! Mine R1200gs with 130.000km just had driveshaft replaced for free
That's great news Alex 👍
Glad they came good for you Let me down badly !!!!!!!!!!
@@allanhughes7859 Bad dealer or maybe is your approach to them…
Sorry but the dealer has nothing to do with it I went direct to B.M.W. firstly told to get lost by a minor so tried to get to a senior manager who would not talk to me so down a few cogs so dealt with that individual They simply tried to get me to go through so many hoops even I gave up but the complaint was a serious one fuel flow into the control unit could be a fatal issue did they care no they did not so you stick to your Bema and good luck at least I can sleep at night knowing I have said what needed to be said They like most European companies don't give a dam at least the Japs do care !! Rant over !!@@alexstan5358
Interesting. Last year I brought my bike in for service 2022 R 1250 GS 40th Anniversary. About 9,000 miles. They stress tested the driveshaft. Told me it did not meet the standard and they installed a new one at no additional charge. (I dont consider anything free when you look at the original price of the bike. They way mine was built is was $28K so as far as I'm concerned I should have a life time of free parts whenever I need them. LOL that said the bike is PHENOMINAL!!!
They are lovely bikes !!!
This is great info. I bought a 2023 R1250RS last June and just love it. I just stumbled on this video and am glad I did.
Hello Tod, and welcome to the channel, one of my riding buddies has the RS and he loves his too. Beautiful bike.
Thank you for leaving a comment 👍
Carl
Thank you so much for this video notification! My local dealer here in Oregon, US just slid in a new drive shaft on my 2016 RT for no charge at 98,000 miles. Sweet.
Hi Bob, that’s great news and exactly how we all should be treated, thank you for sharing
Kind regards Carl
Thank you very much for the heads up Carl. I had serviced my driveshaft the other year when I stumbled on a bunch of videos of rusty splines. Mine were perfect but I redid everything. I got the notification from BMW about condensation and was going to have that done in the coming months. I’m not quite at 36,000 miles yet but hoping the dealership will do both at the same time. It’s a 2 hour trip for me (1 way). Again, thanks so much for posting.
Hi Dana, that sounds like a great plan, one trip and everything Is taken care of. You could call the dealership and ask if it’s possible to do both now, most dealership are very friendly and they will be well aware of the driveshaft replacement program.
Carl
I was involved with BMW for over 20 years and they have always had issues with driveshafts/bearings. A driveshaft is NOT a service item, and you would think that making bikes with driveshafts for over 100 years they would have got it right by now. I don’t recall any other brand having issues like this. Honda Pan European, many Moto Guzzis, Yamaha Super Tenere or Triumph 1200 models don’t seem to to have any issues.
Hi Timothy, welcome to the channel and thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights. Much appreciated
Cart
Maybe they had issues, but they don’t have the integrity 😊
My kawasaki has over 120k miles and never had an issue
@@buyaqubFJRs are not known for having shaft failures even on very high mileage bikes.
Thanks for keeping us informed, Carl! 🙏💙
Your very welcome Jessica 🙏
Great video! I tend to buy older BMW motorcycles after others have absorbed the depreciation and added thousands in farkles. If I end up buying one of these models I now know to check with my local dealer to make sure the driveshaft is tip top.
BMW stands behind their products. I had the failed fuel strip replaced under warranty on my 2013 1200R in 2023....ten years after the bike was made.
Hi Chad, thank you 🙏 for your feedback much appreciated. Yes buying used can save £$€, and can make ownership a more enjoyable experience. The dealership are very good and support is generally excellent. Thank you for sharing.
Best wishes Carl
The water in the swinging arm wasn’t condensation, it was caused by people pressure washing their bikes and blasting water past the gaiters. Hence the fitting of a drain plug so the water could get out. I grease the splines annually and haven’t had any problems but it’s nice to know I’ll be getting a new shaft anyway.
Yes, I’m sure there are other reasons but it is good news 🙏🙋🏻♂️
Thank you for your complete clarification. I have a 2020 R1250RT purchased new. I had the first three services done by BMW but now the warranty is up, I will be doing it all myself. I had contacted the dealer at the end of last year and they confirmed the replacement shaft FOC at 37000miles, I just assumed I would have to continue having the bike serviced by them so great news from you on that score....imagine getting free chain and sprockets for life!
I had checked my driveshaft last year at around 18000miles given all the scare stories regarding spline rusting etc. Luckily, mine was OK but the shaft did just pull straight off the gearbox end so I removed the shaft from the tunnel to give everything a good inspection. The reason the shaft came off the gearbox end was because there was no circlip on the shaft even though the groove was machined for it. I had a thorough search of all the boots and the tunnel to make sure it hadn't become dislodged but found nothing. Reading on the net suggested others had this same issue suggesting BMW had decided the clip wasn't needed. I reassembled everything and have subsequently reached over 20000miles without issue. Do you know if the circlip should be fitted or not? Thanks again for your excellent video's. Cheers Dave
Hi Dave, it’s called a snap clip and I think the part number is
33 73 8 556 245 but best you check that with your dealership.
The snap clip is used on the gearbox end to help maintain the shaft in position. The shaft movement (lateral movement) takes place at the drive hub. This is the area that needs to be really clean, free of rust and well greased.
You could clarify with your local dealer, speak to one of the technicians if you can, they are normally very friendly.
Carl
Thank you for making this video and thank you to BMW for proactively identifying and addressing the issue. Great to be part of this Motorad community.
Hi Wilder, good morning, thank you 🙏 and yes it’s great to see BMW doing this.
Regards Carl
Proactive? 😂. They are reactive-but proactive avoiding class action lawsuits.
Are you for real its simple.Sub standard quality at stupid prices they are just watching their backs trust me I have been kicked into touch by these cowboys/women Never ever again will I buy into this so so over rated brand only an opinion but concluded by poor service from this over rated company !!!!!!!!!!!!
Can confirm as well. Recently purchased a used ex Police RT-P. Needed a new clutch as it was starting to slip under load up hill. Took the bike to Brown Motor Works in Pomona, California. Dealer advised me the bike was due for a driveshaft replacement, and it would be covered by BMW. Many thanks for the information.
Hi Daniel, thank you for sharing your story, many video viewers seem to think it’s not true… which is shame, as this is important news for us all.
Greatly appreciate 👍
Kindest regards Carl
Yes but how much did the clutch replacement cost ??????mine was just short of 1K !!!!!!
Brilliant news, thanks for sharing such important info. Had not heard of this at all in Aust, but will ask.
Your welcome 🙏
Very useful video and always informative. Much appreciated
Thank you 👍
Many thanks for the heads up. Having just taken possession of a low-mileage 21 plate GS, this is good to know. Also looking forward to your Weiser Technik update video... 👍
Thank you, and yes a Weiser-Technik video is due soon, Carl
Hi Carl, I agree this is welcome news and gives you peace of mind about the drive shaft
Yes and especially as moving forward it’s every 60K km regardless of service history
🙋🏻♂️👍
Good information Carl thank you so much for creating the very detailed as always content. Looking forward to your long term review of the GS 1250.
Thank you 🙏
Thank you for providing the details of BMW's campaign to replace the cardan shafts. I'm the second owner of a 2017.5 R1200GS and this is great news.
You’re welcome Jon 🙋🏻♂️
Awesome, just had a new shaft fitted (25k). Gives me even more confidence to keep my 1200GS long term.
Great news Jason 👍🙋🏻♂️
I have just bought a new bmw1250 gs adventure k51 it’s nice to know when it reaches the mileage it will get replaced . Thank you so much for letting us know. You cannot fault BMW for the after care. At the end of the day you do pay a lot of money for your BMW. Any other bike manufacturer would have done there best to make excuses not to change them 👍👍
Thank you Andrew 🙏
Their K series (4 cylinder) leaves a lot to be desired in recalls in particular Europe,
You need to study the history of BMW Motorcycle mechanical failures. They were notorious for refusing to address known issues, including driveshaft problems, going back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. The customer was completely on their own. The repair cost was often times more than the value of the motorcycle.
As a GSA 1250 owner,Thakns for the info. Just Subbed.
Hi Stone Cold, thank you 🙏
Great video Carl. Thanks for the information. Credit to BMW. My current K50 GS is my 5th GS that I've owned. Well over 300,000km (combined) covered by those bikes. Happy to say, no final drive issues at all. However, a free replacement shaft at 60,000km will be welcome. Cheers from 🇦🇺
Now that is a lot of miles, well done you !!! Carl
Thank you for telling me this, I’ll be sure to mention it as service time.
Hi James, thank you 🙏
BMW have been very good with all the different recalls across the models, keep it up
Thank you Robin, yes they have been good, not perfect but very good.
Carl
You hit the nail on the head "ALL THE RE CALLS " Shame that they did not see me right with the on going fuel pump issues CHEAP PLASTIC THAT LEAKS FUEL INTO THE CONTROOL UNIT Bloody death trap !!!
Spoke to my uk dealer today about my shaft and the new information and was told they had not heard about it what so ever lol
Great video tho and thanks for your time and effort 😊
Well perhaps they should watch the video too lol. And read the service notifications that bmw sends out to all there dealerships.
Have you booked your motorbike in for the replacement shaft now?
This is all fantastic - I would note that my drive shaft on my R1200RS failed at 70,000K's - made a claim on BMW but they wouldn't come to the party, in fact they were quite brusque in their comments in this respect and still after a fair bit of correspondence they continued to hold their ground in their refusal re compensation. Now go some 12 months down the track and I found a friend had his driveshaft replaced at 90,000K's under warranty. I again approached BMW and after a fair bit of to and froing they agreed to meet the replacement cost, not including any labour costs involved. To say I was unhappy about their treatment of my situation in this regard would be a great understatement, particularly now as they try to grandstand with their current stance.
Hi Jerry, I’ve heard lots of similar stories, very disappointing. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I understand that some owners are unhappy about earlier events… we can’t change that. But moving forward it is good to see a change and a decision to cover all 5 models.
Kind regards Carl
I wish it were that easy. I have a 2014 BMW RT with 120,000 miles and just got a free I-Level upgrade in the US. My local BMW dealer told me that I didn't qualify for this service bulletin. 😥
Update: After calling BMW North America and returning to my local dealership, I finally got the approval to get a replacement final drive. Thanks for the tip. 😁
Hello Tobias, sorry to hear that I presume your bike is not a K52 model but the previous generation ?
Carl
@@justthewayitis The 2014 RT is a K52 model.
@@justthewayitis The 2014 RT is a K52 model. My local BMW dealer made me aware of a new I-Level upgrade K001-23-11-510 that they installed for free. I almost suspect that BMW might want to fix this issue this way in the US.
The K52 will receive a replacement drive shaft after 60,000 km if your dealership is telling you it doesn’t apply to your bike, contact BMW NA and complain . This is a global service notification and your motorbike is covered 👍
Very good news. I was originally told by a Canadian service tech here in BC Canada that my 2021 K52 RT (22000kms) did not meet the criteria for even the inspection or the drain hole. I will be doing a revisit soon to the service dept. It will be interesting to hear, officially, what they recommend now. Thank you for the information.
Hi Jimmy, thank you 🙏, and your K52 is included in the free driveshaft replacement program once you reach 60k, hopefully they will agree to do the inspection and test.
Best wishes Carl
Always been impressed with BMW warranty service. In 2005 i bought a new k1200s and rode it till 2012. In 5th year of ownership the entire clutch assy failed. BMW provided a new assy with the deal i pay for installation. This is in Canada. Currently ride an indian challenger. Same excellent warranty support. I'd buy another BMW in a heartbeat
Hi Dave, thank you for sharing your experience, much appreciated
Best wishes Carl 👍
Thank you. Very informative 😊 Best wishes from the RS owner
Your very welcome 🙏
I wish they would have done this 45 years ago when the drive shaft on my r75 failed bought a Honda and never looked back
My 2014 90k km GSA just came out of a stator replacement service with a new driveshaft a week ago. It was nice to see since they were repeatedly short on parts from Germany to Canada to carry out the previous service action.
Great news , thank you for sharing 👍
Had mine done on my 1250RT at 86000km in Austria, checked the old one and it was still in very good condition.
The RT is a lovely bike 👍
Brilliant explanation Carl 👍
Thank you Mark 🙋🏻♂️
So wait… I have a 2022 GSA… every 60,000 miles I need a new drive shaft? One of the reasons I bought a BMW is because I didn’t want a belt or a chain to deal with but to have to have a major service like a drive shaft replacement is mind blowing!
Hi Alex, I understand your concerns probably shared by many, but at least they have made a positive step forward by offering all of us with models they have listed, with a free replacement at 60k for the life of motorbike at no cost to us.
Best wishes Carl
My 1200rs just got it's driveshaft replaced at 60k Km by the dealer. The mechanic found nothing wrong with the old driveshaft. I still appreciate it ofc 😂
Hi Georg, that’s great news, thank you for sharing 👍
Have a good evening
Carl
Great video as usual.. 😊
Thank you Melvin 🙏
Thanks so much for this info. I am here in Australia and own a 2014 BMW R1200RT which I purchased from new. The bike so far has done less then 10.000km. Yes I know...pathetic, but Life/Work/Injury(s) had a fair bit to do with it. Mine also had the original recall within just a few months of ownership performed, regarding the suspension issue. I was actually going to do the original driveshaft inspection and I have the tools and equipment to do so. I might still just do the visual with an inspection camera and see what the condition is. I have got the special (very expensive grease) to lubricate the splines, but also the grease to lubricate/seal the rubber boots. I wait for 6 months and see if I get any notifications from BMW. My bike is and always has been garaged and it has seen maybe 3~4 trips that encountered rain, nor do I use a pressure washer when cleaning it. So it will be interesting to see the condition of the splines and shaft.
Hi Alf, you might in light of what I have shared, like to think about taking your RT in for this inspection and grease up, if there is a worn shaft in your bike you would receive a new one.
Carl
My 2005 R1200 GS is doing fine, thank you very much.
Have you had the "fill the fuel tank to the top and watch the fuel spill into the control unit" as yet ????
Only mentioning it as this happened to me and suddenly no fuel/no engine just thought worth mentioning
as this could be deadly and would not want it to happen to a fellow biker !!! Cheap plastic that's B.M.W. for you over priced trash in my humble opinion ..
I'm still a fan. My dealership in British Columbia, Canada, will be replacing my cardan shaft on March 1. As you said, Carl, no charge to me. I have 128,000 km on my owned since new 2018 RT. I have regularly lubed the splines and inspected the u-joints. No issues on my bike. Cheers!
Are you in Vancouver, BC ? @gordonhenderson1708
Hi Gordon, great news and thank you for sharing.
Kind regards Carl 👍
@@jnbharwadGreetings. I'm in Kelowna. Honda Powersports BMW is the dealership here.
Thank you so much for this much welcome update. I have the 2023 R1250GS TE, Not sure if K50 or not. My main gripe is The Gold Spoked Wheels. I should have stuck with the original Cast Wheels. I don't venture off road and find these a real pain to keep clean. Thanks again
lol… I experience the same feeling when I clean mine 👍.
I use a toilet brush to speed the process up, works great
Carl
I've got gold spoke wheels, I see a lot of people moaning about cleaning them. Like Carl says, small brush good cleaner and patience. I find it therapeutic 😅
@@koop5365 Mine is 2023 GSA in almost 4K miles 7 months old had bath yesterday. I mostly wipe the bugs from the front end. But I do detail my Harley often.
I have the same bike and gold wheels, I don’t find it an issue at all keeping them clean? I also have a second GS with black rims and stainless spokes, and that’s the same. No issue. Maybe get a cleaning system that makes it easier?
Thanks for bringing us these notifications and explaining them so well. What is still somewhat confusing is that BMW are now admitting the splines need to be lubed to a schedule - which they didn't used to, now say you SHOULD have it done, and at your own expense, but that they will in any case give you a free replacement shaft drive even if you don't lube, whenever it fails or at 48K miles. Some people say you should do the splines as soon as you buy a new bike because they come out of the factory insufficiently lubed. It seems to me they should be offering a free spline lube in the first instance. Owners only benefit from this plan if they happen to own a bike passing the 48K mile mark. If you are travelling the world even on a newish bike you'd be well advised to get the splines lubed - at your own expense, it seems. I agree they are 'doing the right thing' here, admitting to a weakness in the bike and addressing it, but not, in my view, in an entirely logical way.
Hi Dave, yes they could do more, but what they have done retrospectively on this occasion is actually very good. Especially when you take into account its ALL the road series as well ( R, RT and RS ) Carl
I confirm that information. I just had my 1250 RS serviced and they put separate piece of paper in the service book with service schedule where replacement of drive shaft is listed at 60.000km. Very cool :)
Perfect 👌
Wow, I had no idea about this replacement driveshaft thing. I’m at 3,000 km so it will be a while but that’s fascinating.
Yes it’s great news 👍
Respect BMW…..customer satisfaction 100%. At least they deal with their problems.
👍
Except those who already paid $1300 for a replacement driveshaft.
😂😢😮
@ckkrons2338 : Hi , as mentioned to similar questions about previous bills, take your invoice and go talk to the service manager at your dealership, you might be positively surprised at the response.
I can’t answer for what your dealership will offer you, but owners are already reporting good news
Kind regards Carl
@@justthewayitis reimbursement would be the right thing to do.
I'm still waiting on the dealer for the drain plug recall, I'll ask about a new driveshaft as part of that. Thanks for the informative video.
Your welcome
I had my 2020 GSA in for service/inspection last summer for the shaft recall. It failed the instrumentation test at 17K miles on the odometer and the shaft was replaced. At the time my dealer experienced newer model bikes failing at 4K miles and older bikes passing at 40K miles, although bikes that exceeded 37K miles had their shafts automatically replaced. Go figure. I’m just glad BMW finally acknowledged a replacement interval.
Yes its nice to see BMW have finally addressed this issue.
Great work again! Really looking forward to your long term review.
Maybe do a video about the whistling problem of the 1250 GSA that have been build since June 2023?
Hi Michiel , Whistling problems?
Can you tell me more, I’ve not heard of this
Carl
Thanks as always for great information🍺🍺
Your welcome 🙏
Thank you for the very interesting and important information.
You are very welcome 🙏
Thanks to your TH-cam channel I learned about BMW's campaign to replace the cardan shaft. I saw it on Thursday, I called BMW on Friday and today I have installed my new cardan shaft and the drainage system with its rubber plug. My GS ADV LC from 2015 has 99860km. They also informed me that at 120,000km and 180,000km they will change my cardam again, completely free of charge. It was all very easy and thanks to you and your excellent work today I have a smile from ear to ear! Thank you so much mate✌️ sending big hugs from Altafulla Spain
Hi Walter, I’m really delighted that your 2015 GS has received a new driveshaft, without cost, and they have treated you well, and have also done the recall modification. I would like to share that hearing stories like yours is the reason why I make videos for TH-cam, I feel that if a video helps just 10 people my goal is achieved. I know my channel will never be a huge success, but I’m completely fine knowing this.
Thank you for taking the time to share, and to hear your smiling from ear to ear is perfect.
Wishing you many happy km ahead this summer.
Sincerely Carl
I have been following your TH-cam channel for a long time because I like how you address topics related to the world of motorcycles. Your contribution is really professional, direct and elegant! Thank you very much for everything you do ✌️
You’re very welcome 🙏🙋🏻♂️
I have an older R1200 GS and the u-joints packed it in around 50,000 kms. At that time the Final Drive and Drive shaft were "Lubed for Life" and required no service at that time. BMW found out quickly that the Final Drives do require fluid changes but my particular model has no fill and drain plugs so you have to tilt down the FD to drain and fill through the ABS sensor hole. A pain but it did allow the opportunity to grease the splines while you had it apart. The drive shaft failed due to lack of lubrication. In BMW's wisdom they staked in the u-joints and has no grease nipples to service. The only solution they had was to purchase a new driveshaft of the same design for big money. I ended up purchasing a serviceable aftermarket shaft at half the cost with grease nipples and changeable u-joints which are cheap to replace if necessary. I have zero issues with the aftermarket shaft to date. The Final Drive "Big end" bearing failed last year at 80,00 kms. I went to the dealer and all they could do for me was sell me a new final drive which would have cost as much as the bike was worth. They do not repair Final Drives only install new units. Thankfully I found a machine shop in Canada that rebuilds BMW Transmissions and Final Drives and was able to rebuild mine for $700 Canadian. I guess my point is there is nothing about a driveshaft system that is maintenance friendly. My new bike has a chain and sprockets now. Just saying!
Hi Marcus, welcome to the channel and thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts, I’m sure many owners appreciate the extra input.
So thank you for taking the time to share. 🙋🏻♂️
Kind regards Carl
Thanks Carl, BTW I still have the GS, Can't really part with it yet. LOL@@justthewayitis
👍🙋🏻♂️
Thanks for the heads up.
Hi Steve you’re welcome 👍
Nice. My 2012 GSA has 180000kms with trouble free drive shaft.
And that’s exactly how it should be 🙋🏻♂️
Excellent 4 minute video.
See my reply to your question about owners that have already paid for work 👍
Thank you for this detailed informations. I think it is a really good decision from BMW for us. I was afraid that they forgot us non GS drivers.
Yes, the inclusion of ALL R RT and RS bikes as listed is great news.
Always so informative ✌️👍👍
🙏🙋🏻♂️
The reason they do this is a legal one.
It’s a well documented issue and a safety related one.
They made a change to the maintenance schedule AFTER they sold these bikes.
Without replacing them free, they’d be saying you had to bring in your bike every 60K and spend $2000 replacing your driveshaft. Some customers may not have bought one of these models if they were told that.
(They can’t impose a costly replacement schedule after the fact)
Most customers wouldn’t perform that maintenance every 60K if they had to pay out of pocket.
This would likely lead to failures including seizing and possible crashes.
It’s a known safety related issue, and they’ve done their due diligence.
I wouldn’t thank them like they’re doing this out of the goodness of of their heart, but I’m grateful just the same😊
I think your possibly right
Serviced my R1200GS in Poland about 2 years ago. It was still well below 60000 km but the workshop tested my driveshaft and decided it needs to be replaced. It was done free og charge.
That’s great news 👍
Hi Carl, many thanks for this information . Credit to BMW for this action - though perhaps a clean and grease of the drive shaft should be included in every other regular service
Hi Alan, yes, well done BMW
Thanks for that update and big 👍 to BMW
Hi Paul, thank you 🙏 and I agree a big 👍 to BMW
I am amazed that BMW are actually conceding that their shaft design has some flaws. In the late nineties, I bought an R1100RS with panniers and top box second hand from a BMW franchise dealer in Lancashire. Just after, they lost the franchise - a BMW management decision. About a year later, I noticed that the rear subframe (just a single hollow tube supporting the seat and luggage frames) had all but failed. It looked as if someone had hacksawed the tubes on both sides of the frame to within millimetres of complete separation! Had it totally failed while riding with passenger, I shudder to think of the consequences. I then recalled reading about such sub-frame failures in previous BMW club magazines. Approaching BMW about this failure, they refused to accept any liability. The dealer however, despite no longer carrying the BMW franchise, replaced the subframe and bore all the costs! What surprised me most was seeing the replacement subframe. Talk about chalk and cheese! This item was built out of girders!!! There was no comparison and yet BMW refused to acknowledge the weakness in this new subframe design. Note, despite this experience, I still ride BMWs but I am pleased to see that finally they are prepared to concede that their designs are not always perfect.
Thank you for sharing your story and taking the time to leave to leave a comment . Accepting liability will probably never happen for any manufacturer, but it is good to see a major step forward by BMW with respect to the drive shaft. I’m aware a lot of owners have issues with the rear shock on the GS/A so they still have work to do. But overall it’s a great gesture to owners of these five models.
Kindest regards Carl
Let me get this straight: The new R1300 requires a new driveshaft at 50,000 miles? And the owner pays for this? I see that as an epic fail by BMW. Combine that with BMW's refusal sell service manuals, thus preventing owners from doing the job themselves, and I hardly think BMW should be patted on the back for this.
I have yesterday get a big 40000km service on my 2015 RT. Been asked for lubrication on my driveshaft for another 90 euro. They could not say that it was needed. The discussion leded more to a GS problem as you say.
Thank you for sharing your experience 👍
I live in British Columbia and have a '17 GS Rallye 1200... just turned 20K Kms.
I recently had the initial recall work performed with the installation of the drain plug in the shaft housing.
My dealer told me that while performing this work and the shaft inspection they would grease ONLY the end of the shaft at the rear wheel... and that they would not be actually removing the shaft.
While the cost of the recall was covered by BMW I asked if I could pay for the extra work involved in removing the shaft and greasing both ends.
The service tech agreed that this would be a good move... and the additional cost was pretty minimal so I went ahead.
I'm not complaining 0:02 but it seems that there might be a little inconsistancy as to how different dealers are handling the initial recall.
Hi Alan, yes I agree, it seems each dealership network has a very slightly different approach to processing these jobs. This is one area BMW could improve across its network.
Kind regards Carl
makes you confident about buying a bmw good customer service
Hi Richard, not everyone will agree with that, but yes I do and it’s a big step forward .☝️
Thank you for this video.
My pleasure!
Hey Carl, what happened to the poor baby Multistrada ! It is the one started and took
your channel to this level, but forgotten 😔
By the way this is one of the best TH-cam channel out there. The way you present, the content, tips, tricks, recommendations all simply superb.
I have a suggestion also, as being technician you give true information about some misunderstood topics, like this brakes, exhaust, etc. May be as for other technical parts of motorbike, which are generally not known correctly you can make small series to explain. Just an idea.
Thanks a lot for all your hard work...
Hi Savas, thank you for your kind words, the Multistrada is not forgotten 😉 In Fact it’s mentioned in my next video up this week on Friday.
I do miss my Muttley 🙋🏻♂️
I bought a 2018 gsa rallye from a Honda dealer with 8600 miles on it and it’s coming up for the 12000 mile service which I’ll take to bmw, this info is good to know 👍
Glad it is useful, Regards Carl
Really enjoy your videos, plan to talk about the 1300 stop sale in a near future?
Well I don't have a full understanding of this problem (possible starter relay) at the moment, also I have seen some online magazines (1000PS) have also had to have a full engine replacement which we also need to wait and see if this is going require a recall, or if its an isolated problem.
With any completely new bike some initial problems are going to be experienced, but it is disappointing to see these problems on BMW's most important new motorbike.
I cant really comment because no one has the facts on these issues at the moment. BMW are probably working on these issues right now.
Carl
Nice one, thank you bmw. I bought my 2014 gsa private. Partial bmw service history. Only done 9000 miles though. Be a while till i can get mine done. Wicked bike 😊. Keep up the good work👍👍
Hi Mike, thank you 🙏
My 2015 with 14k miles was checked and found to have cracks, in the shaft at last service, so was replaced, so worth asking them if they’ve checked it irrespective of mileage. 👍
Thank you for sharing 👍
Clear and to the point as usual Carl. You’re a great unpaid BMW ambassador . Just swapped my gs rallye for the new 2024 gsa met blue rallye . Can’t wait for March 1st 😂. I’m switching out the rear alloy box carriers and utilising my vario set .hopefully the dealer will have the Hex gs 911 tool so I can get the DRLs turned off from day 1. I hear that the HEX techs are close to doing the same on the back indicators as well. Looking forward to your 2 yr review .
Hi Peter, thank you 🙏, March is not far away for us.
Weiser-Technik also have a solution coming soon and I will have a video about it soon.
Best wishes Carl
Great info. Thanks. I wonder what they did different with the 1300's design.
Hi Paul, if you watch my R1300GS VS R1250GS video, towards the end i talk about the changes to the driveshaft position and gearbox location. The lower the angle of drive the better, the new GS has a lesser degree of working angle. Carl
Another Informative video thanks - I was wondering why you haven’t commented on the r1300 relay issue. There are thousands affected . It would be useful to understand why such a common component failed - more Importantly how can we rely on the part in the future. Many have commented that it is identical (on visual inspection) to the failed one. There are other comments about problems with oil leaks demon the gearbox etc which worry me less. It would be useful to hear your take on r1300 issues given the naysayers around without jeopardizing your BMW relationship that seems to yield good information like the shaft.
I’m due to have a R1300GS again later in the season for a longer period, so provided I can get real data and facts about the issues from BMW and there response and fix to this issues, I will cover it.
There are also some engine issues that have been reported. So I feel it’s important to wait a while until we have actual facts to share.
Have a great Sunday
Carl
Be aware that you probably won’t get a letter from BMW alerting you to this issue. Your bike needs to appear at a BMW Dealership to trigger their system. If you are servicing the bike yourself, or at an independent workshop you may not get a reminder.
Hi Brian, BMW have not been totally clear in their answers to me, apparently in some countries the BMW dealerships will write to the original owner advising them of the change. In most countries that will not happen. Sadly i do not have a list....
Interesting! You pointed out on the R1300GS video the drive shaft is longer and less "kinked" I suspect the weak point is the u/j and is less stressed? I never understood the spline lubrication thing and am unclear whether it's required maintenance on the old and the new?
Thanks for the information Carl.
My understanding is its needed on both versions to ensure a problem free service time, up until the replacement mileage. Carl
That bike of yours is a looker, Carl 🎉
Yes She is.....👍
@@justthewayitis I’ve got the same bike (although mine has the rally seat :)
@jessebalboa4717 congratulations on your new GS 🥂, I have a good friend who has just bought the colour matched Rallye seat and it looks really good.
I would say they are avoiding a class action against them. When you have a well documented is fault and upon failure has the potential to cause serious injury or death (rear wheel lock up) you leave yourself open to some serious legal liability action both criminal & civil.
I was thinking the same!
This is great! Now what about the peanut butter cams?
Hey Carl! As always, very clear and informative videos. Congrats! Just one clarification,pls. Where can I get official info online about this shaft drive replacement, just in case my service shop is "uninformed"?
Hi Duarte, they will already be fully aware and up to speed.
The systems the dealerships use are linked to BMW so it’s not possible for them not to know.
The announcement came out in October 2023.
The number I have on the screen is the official information bulletin that all dealers will already have.
Dealerships around the world are already replacing drive shafts.
Kind regards Carl
Great job to Carl!!
Bad job to BMW 😢
Hi Chris, thank you 🙏
Contacted our local BMW dealer and Edmonton and asked about this for my 2018 RT. The service manager said it doesn’t apply to mine. I sent him photos from February 2022 (just after warranty) of the rusted and seized drive shaft on my final drive (I sent it to the previous service manager who did not care nor help). This guy said he will send them off to BMW. Now here in Canada the shaft costs $250. Which I can afford, but that’s not the point. This was a failure from BMW. I spent the day trying to get my shaft off the final drive. I succeeded. I also went to the dealer twice asking them to check it. I was told this is a good for lifetime item. Clearly it’s not. I now keep it lubed with a moly and seal the boot with silicon grease. Have not had an issue since.
Hi, your dealership doesn't sound very good, if you have a 2018 RT then it's a K53 model which is covered under the Global service bulletin I talk about in this video.
Several owners from Canada have left comments below confirming their dealers have replaced the shafts for free. Give your dealer the service notification number and ask them to check again, or try a different dealer.
You should not need to pay anything
Let me know how you get on
Carl
Well here is some good news. The new service manager got the response from BMW CANADA. They will replace my shaft at 60000 km (I have 40000km on it now). He said if you don’t want to make the 4 1/2hr trip, you can buy a new one for $257. He would love to send me a free one on BMW’s dime, but BMW wants their own techs to work on it. I get that. Im happy. 60000 is not that far away.
Excellent news, that’s how BMW should respond, thank you for sharing the update 👍
Like you say it’s a fair distance for you to travel, perhaps book the software update for while you are there.
Best wishes Carl
My son had a Ford custom transit. Under warranty it had a replacement timing belt. This belt runs inside the engine in oil. The local Ford dealer did the job. When my son came home it had a bad oil leak ( left oil patch on my drive) and was running badly. He took it back and they fixed the oil leak but still running badly. He then took it to another non Ford garage to look at engine and they said it needed a new engine! We couldn’t prove it but it seems they Ford garage had put the belt on one tooth out of time.
Disappointing service
The Service Information Bulletin for North America (33 04 23 dated December 12, 2023) was posted to ADVRider a few days ago. It tracks with everything Carl says, except 1) BMW have rounded 60,000 km to 36,000 miles; and, 2) warranty coverage of the 20,000 km driveshaft check and regrease. I interpret the Bulletin as offering warranty coverage for these checks: "The replacement check and regrease of the cardan shaft (driveshaft) is covered by warranty and is offered to all customers that own a K5x motorcycle model year 2023 and older and unlimited miles or general service behavior of the customer."
Hi Mark, good evening, thank you for your input and sharing your NA BMW experience, very much appreciated by me. Yes technically the UK / USA mileage is 37,500 ish, but as you say some owners have already received the replacement at 36,000 miles which is great. It seems to vary very very slightly from dealership to dealership... but we are only taking about 1-2 thousand miles. Overall its a great move on behalf of BMW.
As to the inspection and re-grease, my information came direct from BMW in Munich … from the technical press office (two days ago) so i will next week speak with the appropriate contact and seek further clarification. However...They were very clear in there answer, to me about this question, in that this voluntary inspection / spline re-grease is both optional and the cost MUST be paid by the customer. Also bare in mind I live in Germany and I speak directly with BMW HQ in Germany,
But, it may turn out to be a geographical decision that each country makes, so it would seem logical that BMW NA may approach this work in a different way.
Just bare in mind there is a separate but related service notification that is indeed FREE, but this applies to limited motorbikes.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Kindest Regards, Carl
Thanks, Carl. Appreciate the work you do that helps all of us.
@markmayhew5487 your welcome 🙏
By the way, I would have included the two-page Service Information Bulletin, but it would seem I can’t add images to a reply.
"Beeh Emm Veeh" BMW Motorrad that's what we say in THAILAND - Greetings from sunny tropical Khlong Lan northern Thailand Johnny BikeSanooK!
Greetings 🙋🏻♂️
I fell foul of the BMW drive shaft issue. I had a 2018 Gs and 3 months out of warranty I found the drive shaft was totally seized to the bevel gear drive. I took it to my local dealer who quoted £2800 to fix! I obviously kicked off and they agreed to ask BMW for a ‘good will’ repair, which they did, but still cost me £300 for the labour, BMW supplied the parts. 6 months later they were doing the rubber bung mod.
Glad to hear they looked after you Slip. 🙋🏻♂️
Thanks for the update but let me enquire...Should the driveshaft fail before the 60k km ie the original or replacement driveshaft will BMW replace and repair any other damage caused by
the failure for free?
BMW will review each case individually. So my advice is to take any invoice and bills with you and go talk to your local BMW Service Manager
Carl
My BMW dealer replaced the driveshaft of my 2018 GS1200 2 times now, at 15.000 and 30.000 km. It was under warranty. Last inspection at 40.000 they carried out the drive shaft maintenance for free. I don’t think this driveshaft will make it to 90.000 km 😅. I know the service from my dealer is good, so I don’t mind.
Thank you for sharing your experience 👍🙋🏻♂️
Thanks! So is there something defective with our current drive shaft? I have a RS 1250 2023, so I wonder if this bike has the updated one. Thanks
Hi P-Dub, your welcome 🙏
Thanks Carl, One comment though, on the 12,000 miles service, sure an owner can lube the splines themselves but they won't be able to conduct the driveshaft test which requires special equipment and probably would be too costly to buy for home use if it is even available.
Hi Eric, I think what BMW are really saying is that the inspection and test and lube is preferable, but owners can if they wish do the inspection and lube if they wish.
@ewayitis The inspection is much more than just taking a look. It requires attaching a BMW ISTA-led test instrument to the rear wheel to test whether the driveshaft is good.
I'm also a bit confused by your comment that the 12000 mile routine inspection/regrease of the drive shaft is at the owner's expense. This is not the case for K50 bikes. For the 1300 it is.
@EricS977 : Hi Eric, this is what BMW have told me and is in their official statement.
But some owners have reported that it’s been offered for free in some geographical locations. Which is nice but a little confusing.
This is the reason why I went Drive Shaft.
Chain maintenance and replacement is too much for me.
Cleaning and Lube once a month, replace every year.
Also the sprockets are full of grease and dirt.
Shaft, needs replacement in 30 or 60k km is like a dream come true! I don't think I'd even reach that on my bike in 10yrs
Agree 👍
The big problem of only wanting a bike with shaft drive is that it hugely limits your choice. Over 50 years I've had many bikes with chain, one belt and four shaft. All of the chain drive have been great bikes with no problems. I would have missed out on a lot of fun and it would have been very boring to have only had a few shaft drive bikes.
@@splodge5714 that's one compromise i was willing to take.
Shaft bikes usually are in huge, bulky, heavy bikes. With a small body like mine, it's hard to maneuver around the parking.
Chain bikes are just in different flavor and sizes that you can't miss out!
For now I'm having a great time enjoying the power, stability, speed, and comfort of my 1250RS.
The RS is lovely 👍
I would think WHENEVER a BMW shop messes with the driveshaft they would lube the splines before reassembly.
Had mine replaced on my 1200 GSA owner its a 2016 model 😊
Great news 👍
Hi, good info. Thanks. Question:Where did you buy the stickers for your r 1250 gs?
ResinBike !!! That’s the brand
They are great quality
Carl 👍
Can you please make same videos for the 750/800/850/900 GA and GSA it will be really helpful
If I owned those bikes I could indeed do that, but I have just the one ☝️